Yes, said she, he has taken the chickens which I was just going to serve up, off the dish, and has run away with them. That's a nice trick, said her master, and lamented the fine chickens. If he had but left me one, so that something remained for me to eat. He called to him to stop, but the guest pretended not to hear. Then he ran after him with the knife still in his hand, crying, just one, just one, meaning that the guest should leave him just one chicken, and not take both. The guest, however, thought no otherwise than that he was to give up one of his ears, and ran as if fire were burning under him, in order to take them both home with him.
Once upon a time the little hen went with the little cock to the nut-hill, and they agreed together that whichsoever of them found a kernel of a nut should share it with the other.
Then the hen found a large, large nut, but said nothing about it, intending to eat the kernel herself. The kernel, however, was so large that she could not swallow it, and it remained sticking in her throat, so that she was alarmed lest she should be choked. Then she cried, cock, I entreat you to run as fast as you can and fetch me some water, or I shall choke. The little cock did run as fast as he could to the spring, and said, stream, you are to give me some water, the little hen is lying on the nut-hill, and she has swallowed a large nut, and is choking. The well answered, first run to the bride, and get her to give you some red silk. The little cock ran to the bride and said, bride, you are to give me some red silk, I want to give red silk to the well, the well is to give me some water, I am to take the water to the little hen who is lying on the nut-hill and has swallowed a great nut-kernel, and is choking with it. The bride answered, first run and bring me my little wreath which is hanging to a willow. So the little cock ran to the willow, and drew the wreath from the branch and took it to the bride, and the bride gave him some red silk for it, which he took to the well, who gave him some water for it. Then the little cock took the water to the hen, but when he got there the hen had choked in the meantime, and lay there dead and did not move. Then the cock was so distressed that he cried aloud, and every animal came to lament the little hen, and six mice built a little carriage to carry her to her grave, and when the carriage was ready they harnessed themselves to it, and the cock drove. On the way, however, they met the fox, who said, where are you going, little cock. I am going to bury my little hen. May I drive with you. Yes, but seat yourself at the back of the carriage, for in the front my little horses could not drag you.
Then the procession went onwards, and they reached a stream.
How are we to cross over, said the little cock. A straw was lying by the stream and it said, I will lay myself straight across, and then you can drive over me. But when the six mice came to the bridge, the straw slipped and fell into the water, and the six mice all fell in and were drowned. Then they were again in difficulty, and a coal came and said, I am large enough, I will lay myself across, and you shall drive over me. So the coal also laid itself across the water, but unhappily just touched it, at which the coal hissed, was extinguished and died. When a stone saw that, it took pity on the little cock, wished to help him, and laid itself over the water. Then the cock drew the carriage himself, but when he got it over and reached the shore with the dead hen, and was about to draw over the others who were sitting behind as well, there were too many of them, the carriage ran back, and they all fell into the water together, and were drowned.
Then the little cock was left alone with the dead hen, and dug a grave for her and laid her in it, and made a mound above it, on which he sat down and fretted until he died too, and then everyone was dead.
Once upon a time there was a man who did nothing but gamble, and for that reason people never called him anything but gambling Hansel, and as he never ceased to gamble, he played away his house and all that he had. Now the very day before his creditors were to take his house from him, came the Lord and St. Peter, and asked him to give them shelter for the night. Then gambling Hansel said, for my part, you may stay the night, but I cannot give you a bed or anything to eat. So the Lord said he was just to take them in, and they themselves would buy something to eat, to which gambling Hansel made no objection. Thereupon St. Peter gave him three groschen, and said he was to go to the baker's and fetch some bread. So gambling Hansel went, but when he reached the house where the other gambling vagabonds were gathered together, they, although they had won all that he had, greeted him clamorously, and said, Hansel, do come in. Oh, said he, do you want to win three groschen too. On this they would not let him go. So he went in, and played away the three groschen also. Meanwhile St. Peter and the Lord were waiting, and as he was so long in coming, they set out to meet him. When gambling Hansel came, however, he pretended that the money had fallen into the gutter, and kept raking about in it all the while to find it, but our Lord already knew that he had lost it in play. St. Peter again gave him three groschen, and now he did not allow himself to be led away once more, but fetched them the loaf. Our Lord then inquired if he had no wine, and he said, alack, sir, the casks are all empty.
